eBay: North American B-25 Mitchell

Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules


Bones , Buzz Holland

1639394876478.png


1639394844941.png
 
As an eBay Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

1944 USAAF 340th BG Pompeii airstrip airfield

1641811828704.png


1641811836157.png



1641811975094.png
 
As an eBay Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

1944 USAAF 340th BG Alesani AF Corsica France

1641988786762.png


1641988805948.png
 
As an eBay Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Doesn't look too good for the tail gunner, hope he wasn't back there when that hit.
Unfortunatelly he didn't survive. The a/c in the photos above (from the 488-th BS, 340-th BG.) was damaged during a mid-air collision on 21. January 1945. After a bombing run over San Michele bridge, during the turn away strong blast of wind unbalanced another Mitchell (8U s/n 43-4064) that sliced through the empennage of 8P s/n 43-27657. (If you check Joe Baugher's serials he gives this a/c wrongly as 9P from the 489-th BS.) Pilot of the latter was Lt. Pelton, co-pilot Lt. Shackelford, the tail gunner who perished was Sgt. Porter. 8U went down - MACR 11712
f4iGYyE.jpg

Below is the description from the War Diary of 488-th BS.:
kKPFjaQ.jpg

Cheers!
 
Last edited:
Unfortunatelly he didn't survive. The a/c in the photos above (from the 488-th BS, 340-th BG.) was damaged during a mid-air collision on 21. January 1945. After a bombing run over San Michele bridge, during the turn away strong blast of wind unbalanced another Mitchell (8U s/n 43-4064) that sliced through the empennage of 8P s/n 43-27657. (If you check Joe Baugher's serials he gives this a/c wrongly as 9P from the 489-th BS.) Pilot of the latter was Lt. Pelton, co-pilot Lt. Shackelford, the tail gunner who perished was Sgt. Porter. 8U went down - MACR 11712
View attachment 654414
Below is the description from the War Diary of 488-th BS.:
View attachment 654415
Cheers!
I remember reading somewhere that this mid-air collision was likely what inspired Nately and Dobbs' deaths in Catch-22, though I don't remember where I saw it. It's been a while since I read Patricia Chapman's book on the 340th BG and how they inspired Heller's characters. Not sure if he was with the group at that point. Speaking of which, I do recommend the book.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back